Happy Two Days After Valentine’s Day! I hope you celebrated in style, which is more than we did. I typed most of this post on Valentine’s night, while Brandon worked at Delancey, slinging pizzas for all the lovers. I did, however, rally to bake a banana bread. Nothing says, I love you (or, You married your grandmother), like a banana bread on Valentine’s Day.

This is not a post about banana bread, just to clarify.

This is a post about lime curd. Not lemon curd, but lime: “the superlative citrus,” as our friend Niah, who is also the bar manager of Essex, likes to say. And if it seems like I only post sweets and baked goods anymore, I know, I know, you’re right. I’m sure it’ll pass.

This particular lime curd comes from a cookbook of my mother’s, Gourmet’s America, published in 1994 – a year that, I should admit, just for the sake of completeness, I spent mostly driving mopily around Oklahoma City, newly won driver’s license in my wallet, listening to Nine Inch Nails’s The Downward Spiraland having a lot of feelings for Trent Reznor. Meanwhile, back at home, my mother was doing something of more lasting import, which is to say: while combing the bookshelf in the kitchen, pulling together ideas for a party, she found this recipe for lime curd. The idea was to serve the curd next to a pile of sugar cookies, and then your guests could “frost” their own cookies. She tried it. I remember ducking through the living room at some point during the party, noticing the stack of cookies and beside it a bowl of curd, creamy yellow with shards of green zest. I grabbed a cookie on the way up to my room, smeared it with as much lime curd as I could fit onto the edge of a knife, and wished, for the rest of the night, that I had taken two.

My mother has repeated the lime curd / sugar cookie trick several times since, always to acclaim. And when I became interested in a few things that were not Trent Reznor*, it was the first curd I ever made. I was intimidated at first, but fruit curd is easy alchemy: a stovetop custard, sort of, but with fruit juice instead of milk. This one isn’t a purely lime curd – it uses both lemon and lime juices, plus lime zest – but it nails it. It’s undoubtedly lime, fruity and fragrant, but the lemon helps to perk it up, to cut the sugar, eggs, and butter with added acidity. It’s an ideal texture for frosting a cookie, or for filling a cake, or folding into whipped cream to make a mousse.

That said, I don’t make it as often as I should, but that’s only because of my own biases: when I think of sweets, I think of chocolate first and citrus later. But it came to mind recently, when Matthew and I were brainstorming a forthcoming Spilled Milk episode on limes, so I made a batch. And when it tasted as good as I remembered, I took it to a book club meeting – some of us Delancey ladies have banded together to read books and, apparently, eat lime curd – along with a box of Walker’s Pure Butter Shortbread Scottie Dogs, and I am pleased to report that we enjoyed it more than Vladimir Nabokov’s Pnin.

* For the record, I still have a thing for “The Perfect Drug.” And, as I learned in a New Yorker profile, Reznor is a better dog owner than I am, because he actually remembers to brush his dog’s teeth.

Combine all ingredients in a saucepan – I used a 2-quart – and set it over medium-low heat. Whisk until the butter is melted, and then continue to whisk constantly (or almost constantly; you don’t want to let it curdle or scorch) until the mixture is thickened, like jelly. As it thickens, you’re looking for it to hold the mark of the whisk, and if you lift the whisk, the mixture should hold its shape when it plops back into the pot. This will probably take about 10 to 12 minutes. When it’s ready, remove the curd from the heat, and press through a mesh strainer into a storage container. Chill well before serving.

Note: If you want your finished lime curd to still be flecked with bits of green lime zest, you could skip the straining step. But I always worry about finding bits of cooked egg in my fruit curd, so I like to strain mine – and then I lose the zest, but oh well.

Beeyootiful. And so many possibilities… Porridge with lime curd and raspberries? On toast? I made that boiled orange and almond cake (secret: microwave for 5 minutes, so much easier) and substituted a whole lime for a gloriously bitter cake – and frosted it with chocolate, more fool me. Next time, it will be lime on lime.

Beeyootiful. And so many possibilities… Porridge with lime curd and raspberries? On toast? I made that boiled orange and almond cake (secret: microwave for 5 minutes, so much easier) and substituted a whole lime for a gloriously bitter cake – and frosted it with chocolate, more fool me. Next time, it will be lime on lime.

Just when I think I can't possibly like you more, you come out as an angsty NIN fan. I was a few years behind you- The Fragile (left) was on repeat for a good year. And I'm also now called “grandma” by my friends for my un-ironic preference to crochet at home with tea or straight bourbon (or both) on a Friday night. I would've loved banana bread on V-day. 🙂

Just when I think I can't possibly like you more, you come out as an angsty NIN fan. I was a few years behind you- The Fragile (left) was on repeat for a good year. And I'm also now called “grandma” by my friends for my un-ironic preference to crochet at home with tea or straight bourbon (or both) on a Friday night. I would've loved banana bread on V-day. 🙂

Lime curd deliciousness aside, I love Trent Resnor, and when my partner and I first started going out back in the late '90s, he used to sing to me all the time “you are the perfect druuug, the perfect druuug, the perfect druuug” and I'd melt. Thanks for bringing back memories, Molly 🙂

Lime curd deliciousness aside, I love Trent Resnor, and when my partner and I first started going out back in the late '90s, he used to sing to me all the time “you are the perfect druuug, the perfect druuug, the perfect druuug” and I'd melt. Thanks for bringing back memories, Molly 🙂

I made lots of fruit curds last summer, and I found if I blended the eggs and citrus juice with something like an immersion blender (or a regular blender if you want) before heating them, there was no chance of chunks of just egg post-cooking. So you could keep the lime zest (and skip the straining.)

I made lots of fruit curds last summer, and I found if I blended the eggs and citrus juice with something like an immersion blender (or a regular blender if you want) before heating them, there was no chance of chunks of just egg post-cooking. So you could keep the lime zest (and skip the straining.)

I LOVE all flavors of citrus curd. Last year for the first time I found Seville oranges in New York City. And guess what I made? Seville Orange Curd (from Nigella's How to Eat)? It was spectacular. I made Clotide's Piège Cake and served it with a teeny bit of loosely whipped cream flavored with Mathide Orange XO Liqueur and the curd. It was spectacular!

Your mother's curd served with those little cookies sounds delightful. I'm heading for the store in a little while so I can snag all the ingredients and make them. Thanks.

I LOVE all flavors of citrus curd. Last year for the first time I found Seville oranges in New York City. And guess what I made? Seville Orange Curd (from Nigella's How to Eat)? It was spectacular. I made Clotide's Piège Cake and served it with a teeny bit of loosely whipped cream flavored with Mathide Orange XO Liqueur and the curd. It was spectacular!

Your mother's curd served with those little cookies sounds delightful. I'm heading for the store in a little while so I can snag all the ingredients and make them. Thanks.

Two significant activities took place last week; I read your interview “Let Your Writing Speak for Itself, and Be Proud of It” on Dianne Jacob’s website, and I made Jimmy’s Pink Cookies, in heart shape, of course, for the third??? . . . fourth??? year in a row on Valentine’s Day. Despite the fact that life is crazy and who has any time for anything is still no excuse for waiting all these years to thank you for your beautiful writing and equally beautiful food. Oh, and hail to the pink cookie recipe certainly! 🙂

Two significant activities took place last week; I read your interview “Let Your Writing Speak for Itself, and Be Proud of It” on Dianne Jacob’s website, and I made Jimmy’s Pink Cookies, in heart shape, of course, for the third??? . . . fourth??? year in a row on Valentine’s Day. Despite the fact that life is crazy and who has any time for anything is still no excuse for waiting all these years to thank you for your beautiful writing and equally beautiful food. Oh, and hail to the pink cookie recipe certainly! 🙂

I share your love of lime curd after having made “curds” from a variety of citrus – ruby red grapefruit, meyer lemon, blood orange, lime, and plain old lemon. The late Madelene Hill introduced me to the concept when I worked with her, and savoring that memory adds to my enjoyment.

I share your love of lime curd after having made “curds” from a variety of citrus – ruby red grapefruit, meyer lemon, blood orange, lime, and plain old lemon. The late Madelene Hill introduced me to the concept when I worked with her, and savoring that memory adds to my enjoyment.

I'm going to ask an ignorant question, could I substitute bottled key lime juice for the freshly squeezed lime juice and since I have an abundance lemons at the moment (living in Phx), what would happen if I used lemon zest instead of lime zest? I know this would change to whole taste but… Obviously, I've never made lemon or lime curd before.

So, so glad I got on your email list!!!! Now I don't miss any of your posts.

This is making my taste buds sing and I haven't even tried it yet. THEN you put in on Walker's. That's just low. = ) How long can I expect this to last in the fridge, since I think I'm the only lime lover in my household…?

I've always loved lemon curd and adore limes but have never tried lime curd. That's about to change after reading this! The doggie cookies are so cute. Where do you get the moulds? I live in Australia so might be difficult here.

Hey Molly, I already told you so on instagram, but in case you missed it: I tried to stop at delencey on Valentine's Day (+ family- we were visiting cousins in Seattle area)… but it was PACKED. We were told we'd have to wait an hour and 45 minutes at the least. Tell Brandon bravo… wish I could have let my family taste the glory that is his pizza! Next time 🙂 great to meet you last summer and congrats on the new book!

We make it, often, lemon and lime, both. One trick we adopted ages ago (from Elinor Klivans' hairdresser; long story) was to blitz the whole shebang briefly, before cooking, which prevents the whole mess from ever curdling. I therefore cook it over medium-high, barely whisking, whereupon it is done in six minutes, or very near. This is me, living dangerously.

As to your mom, I think her brilliant: like a lemon bar, deconstructed, and without the bother of crust. And without the lemon. But, you know, there's the lime…

A trick I picked up along the way was to reserve half the zest and add it to the curd post cooking and straining. This way the zest in the curd is bright and uncooked, it looks prettier, and tastes great (plus no lumps!)

Hi this sounds great but like another poster said I use a double boiler, no need to sieve before potting. Made blackcurrant curd for Christmas presents, it has a wonderful flavour and the colour is amazing.

This sounds great but like another poster said I use a double boiler, no need to strain before potting. I made blackcurrant curd for Christmas, it has a really intense flavour and the colour is amazing.

I have always been wary of curd – the name alone makes me think of curdled, spoiled things which is never fun. Plus I'm not really a fan of custard of milky things. I do have to say though that your writing is making me think of it more like icing, which now makes me think that I need to try it. Thanks Molly!

How would the lime curd go with Margaritas in the summer? Sounds perfect for a sweet end to a Tex-Mex dinner. Maybe with sopaipillas? I need to experiment. Will make for a fun day in the kitchen. Thanks for sharing the recipe and the story.

Molly, you are the sanest person around, and a source of sanity for me after a long day at my computer. I LOVED your first book, and will eagerly be getting my grubby little muffin-stained paws on your next. Thank you!

This is the first time I'm making curd – I blitzed the egg and citrus juice together as one person suggested before adding them to the rest of the ingredients. Things seemed to work well until I paddled from the pan to the serving jar, as soon as I took the heat off either the butter or the juice seemed to separate. I jarred it anyway and it's in the fridge now, I'm anxiously waiting to see what the liquid on top is going to solidify to.

I was so enthralled with the recipe for lime curd that I didn't notice – until now – that you were eating it spread on Walker's Pure Shortbread Scotties.

So on Thursday I was in the Hell's Kitchen Sur La Table going through the cookie cutters because the sign said they had scotties and, eureka, I pulled two cookie cutters out, only to discover later that I had gotten schnauzers!

Believe it or not, in my travels that same day I came upon the SoHo Sur La Table and was able to exchange them. Now I just have to find a recipe that lets me cut shortbread instead of patting it.

My little Improved Meyer Lemon tree had three little lemons on it. They were almost entirely juice on the inside, so I had more than enough for this recipe. I used Irish butter, and 1/3 cup local honey instead of sugar. Amazing!

An American friend put me onto your website a little while ago. Am so glad she did. I was wondering if you’d ever considered adding a splash of Angostura bitters to make a lemon, lime and bitters curd. (The idea is not mine, by the way. There is a shop in Moss Vale, about two hours’ drive southwest of Sydney, which sells only products made within ten kilometre radius of the shop. They had jams and curds on sale, one of which was lemon, lime and bitters. I stole the idea.) It’s now my favourite spread, alongside my rhubarb and orange jam.